20 Tips for Sticking to Your Meds
by Nancy Wongvipat, M.P.H.
From AIDS Project Los Angeles
December 1998
A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
- Store bottled water in the car and at work at all times for medication taking.
- If you have roommates or visitors and don't want to take medication in front of them, it may help to keep a bottle of water by your bed so that you can take your pills in privacy.
- Choose a regular time and place to count out all your pills for the following week (reserve four minutes out of 1,440 minutes a day to count your pills for the week). This is especially important if you have been instructed to increase or decrease your doses at intervals of several days.
- Get several small containers. Ask your pharmacist for empty prescription bottles (or use resealable plastic bags; relabeled film cans; or a pocket-sized plastic tackle box) to count in your future week's medications and store them in the fridge.
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- You can also put each day's morning, noon, early evening, and late-night doses into separate components of the see-through plastic box that holds a week's supply of pills. Ask your treatment advocate for seven-day pill boxes.
- Buy an alarm watch or beeper. Ask your treatment advocate or pharmacist for a timer.
- Keep Post-It notes on bathroom mirrors, in your car and on your calendar to remind you to take your meds.
- Tape your schedule to your refrigerator door.
- Cut out your favorite medication reminder illustration from Positive Living and other publications and stick it on your fridge as a visual cue.
- Ask someone you live with (spouse, partner, family member, roommate) to help you remember to take your pills at the prescribed time.
- Ask your doctor questions and demand detailed explanations until you understand everything to your satisfaction.
- Be honest with your health care provider about missed doses or doses taken incorrectly. If they don't know, they cannot help you.
- Don't panic if you miss a dose. Find out from your physician or pharmacist what to do if you miss a dose.
- Bring a family member or friend to appointments so that two people ask questions and get information.
- See a treatment advocate and a nutrition advocate at least once if you haven't already done so. If you have, it may be a good idea to check in with them once in a while to get updated and practical information on your meds and answer any questions you have on your HIV management.
- Practice with low-dose vitamin tablets and follow the dosing schedule (take them with the same dietary restrictions).
- Plan ahead for changes in routine, such as vacations or changing jobs.
- Make special plans for weekends and holidays.
- Ask around. Others may have some tricks that will work for you. And share yours with others!
- If you are not ready to make a serious attempt at adherence, you might be better off to delay treatment.
This article has been reprinted at The Body with the permission of AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA).
A note from TheBody.com: Since this article was written, the HIV pandemic has changed, as has our understanding of HIV/AIDS and its treatment. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
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This article was provided by AIDS Project Los Angeles. It is a part of the publication Positive Living.
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